Meet Penn State's Rising Star on Offense Who Could Bring Havoc to Oregon

Luke Reynolds, the Nittany Lions' sophomore tight end, has been an early standout for Penn State's offense.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Luke Reynolds (85) reacts following a penalty call against Villanova Wildcats defensive back Zahmir Dawud for potential targeting during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

With 53 seconds remaining in the first half against Villanova, Penn State tight end Luke Reynolds caught a pass on an out route. A second later, Reynolds got leveled by Wildcats defensive back Zahmir Dawud, a hit that warranted a review for targeting. The play made the crowd gasp, but Reynolds got back up on his feet immediately. 

The sophomore was asked postgame how that felt. “It didn’t hurt, I guess,” Reynolds said. “It looked worse than it really was. I appreciate the concern.”

Through three games, Reynolds has shown why he was such a highly sought-after tight end in Penn State's 2024 recruiting class. He quickly has emerged as one of quarterback Drew Allar’s top targets and as a new security blanket who can cause havoc in the open field. 

Reynolds also could be a significant player in Penn State’s offense Saturday, when the third-ranked Nittany Lions host No. 6 Oregon. Reynolds ranks third on the team in receiving yards (142) and is tied with receiver Trebor Peña with 13 receptions, just one behind receiver Kyron Hudson for the team lead. 

The usage has been a breath of fresh air for Reynolds, who said he was limited last year, which was expected when his teammate was Mackey Award-winning tight end Tyler Warren. 

“Compared to last year, just having certain roles and certain formations is nice to have,” Reynolds said. “More of a role in the offense and being able to just feel like I played a complete game as far as blocking and catching and stuff like that [is great].”

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Reynolds takes larger role in Penn State's offense

Soaaaaarin’… Flyyyin’ 🎶

First TD as a Nittany Lion for @Reynolds12_Luke! pic.twitter.com/ug30fnIqwE

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 16, 2024

But where did this burst of production come from? It’s the product of being a second-year tight end in a system capitalizing on his skills. The 6-4, 250-pound Reynolds can do things many others at his position can’t. He’s a handful to tackle in the open field, which comes from the combination of his speed, size and agility. In Allar’s terms, “He’s an athletic freak.”

“The way he jumps, and the speed he has at that size, and his catch radius in general [is amazing],” Allar said. “Like, he took that hit on the sideline [against Villanova] and held it, held on to the ball. That was big-time for him. And then obviously he made some plays after the catch, too. You don't see a lot of tight ends do that across the country.”

Reynolds’ game expands beyond his versatility in the passing offense. He has made major strides as a blocker from last season. Offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh said Reynolds has matured since his freshman year, which has led him to earn that prominent role as a run blocker. Donkoh added that Reynolds has embraced the role.

His development supporting the ground game has been prominent in helping him earn more snaps. Reynolds has played just nine fewer than fellow startin tight end Khalil Dinkins. Reynolds plays in consistent two-tight end sets with Dinkins, which is a product of his improvement. 

“He’s really gotten a lot better in the run game,” Allar said. “And I think that's one thing that's very hard for tight ends to come in at a young age and play early, because the run game is so stressful for them with all the communication that goes on up front. So he's done a really good job.”